When the clock chimes twelve
by pinkcheesecake
Summary: Ciel's distant cousin and old friend Mabel comes to live with him for awhile. while he originally is annoyed by her upbeat attitude, just how much do these two have in common?
1. Prolouge

The night was silent and still, the only sounds were the chirping of crickets and the air was heavy and sleepy.

Three minutes to midnight.

Next to me, a sleepless bundle shuffled. A hand across my back.

"You awake?"

somewhere in the house, a faucet starts to drip, lonesome and sweet.

Two minutes to midnight.

The hand shook.

"Please wake up."

She moves restlessly again, disrupting the warmth of my room.

One minute to midnight.

"Please."

The air is suddenly cold, when she struggles to sit up, the windows smash open to the beginnings of a storm.

The clock chimes twelve. A haunting sound.

"Please. Please help me."


	2. New Friend

The sun had barely risen in the ashen gray skies when she awoke, blinking twice and rubbing her eyes sleepily before glancing to her side, noticing only faint light from behind the filmy drapes that hung across her frosty windows.

She could see her breathe in the air, and the air was cold and crisp around her, nearly crackling with energy as she sat up, shivering, grabbing the comforters and wrapping it around her thin shoulders.

"Miss Mabel?"

Mabel glanced up to see her best friend and maid, Sylvia, standing at the heavy oaken doors of her room, holding what appeared to be a silver tray with a cup of steaming tea.

Sylvia approached the bed on which Mabel resided at the almost dismissive wave she received, and set the platter down on the beside table, taking up a small fur lined cape and setting it on the child's shoulder.

"You'll make yourself sick if you sit like that in this weather, Miss Mabel, please try to take care of yourself more."

Mabel didn't give any form of response as she leaned over and picked up the fine china cup and started sipping the tea, her eyes unfocused. Sylvia took this as an initiative to start talking, as she combed her young mistress's hair and started to dress her.

Finally, the brown-haired maid stopped fussing over the seemingly emotionless child that sat and watched with silver blue eyes, and straightened up, holding the silver platter in her hands, now with an empty cup.

"Has something been bothering you, ojou-sama? You are awfully quiet this morn." Her concern reflected in her stormy green eyes, as Sylvia watched Mabel's reaction quite closely.

Mabel shook her head.

"No… I just had a strange dream. You can go along now, and prepare for our journey."

Sylvia nodded respectfully before leaving the room, the door making a gentle sound as it swooshed shut. At the young maid's absence, Mabel stood up from her chair, and moved into the area in front of her mirror.

They were preparing to go and visit a distant relative of Mabel's, at her own personal invitation, of course. Mabel knew and heard of the boy, of how emotionless and mature he seemed for such a young child, and what horrors he had encountered in his short life.

Mabel knew that people like him preferred being left alone, and not having too much company around him, but after the recent happenings of her own home, Mabel was all too eager to leave the darkening mansion and its overhanging gloom.

"Its not that I want to bother him," Mabel announced aloud, "I just want to get out of here, and there is no one else I can turn to."

Perhaps that was not the entire truth. There were indeed other people she could turn to. The reality was that the boy made her curious. She wanted to know about him and see him. Her fist clenched.

"I won't be intruding," she said resolutely, moving in front of the mirror so she could see her own ice cold eyes, "I'll ask to stay awhile, and I'll never be in his way."

"Of course you won't."

Mabel jumped at the sound of a new voice, an unfamiliar one a that, and whirled around, her raven hair whipping at her face as she looked around to see the intruder.

"Who's there?" she demanded, "Answer me now!"

the new voice, a smooth and sweet one, giggled.

"Don't sound so panicked, ojou-sama. Just think of me as your new friend. I won't hurt you, I just have one small request to ask of you. Please, won't you say yes?" the voice appeared to be coming from the ceiling, but when Mabel looked up, nothing was there but darkness.

"I might," she said, her voice trembling, "If you present yourself right now. I refuse to talk to voices with no bodies!"

the voice sighed.

"Oh, alright… if I am frightening you THAT much, I might as well come down. Please move to the right a little, my lady, I wouldn't want to land on you." Mabel moved cautiously to the right just as the voice instructed, waiting perhaps to see someone drop off the ceiling, but was shocked when a young boy shimmered into view next to her.

the boy appeared to be about her age, give or take, with sparkling lake blue eyes and a sweet smile, his figure slight and almost feminine. Taller than her by several inches. He grinned, and Mabel cringed.

"Don't be afraid, ojou-sama! I mean no harm! I only wanted to request your help, if you please…"

Mabel glanced around wearily, before moving back towards her bed, now smooth and wrinkled free – when has Sylvia come in and fixed it…?

"Oh, she didn't," the boy continued, floating steadily next to her, "I did that. I figured that if you were to help me, the least I could do is become one of your faithful servants." His eyes sparkled at her. finally, Mabel sighed, biting her lips and turning to face him, her arms crossing as she glared.

"Stop!" she yelled, "Stop that! Stop answering my thoughts! You'll answer when I tell you to, and only then! You are my servant, then, are you not? Servants don't talk unless they are spoken to!"

Mabel wasn't normally a harsh person. In fact, she was usually sweet and kind, albeit, a bit childish, but never harsh. Yet, the boy's eyes sparkled at her with new light.

"I am your servant?" he asked, "Does that mean you accept?"

Mabel paused lightly, before muttering, "that was a slip of the lips. But depending on your request, I might decide to help. Yet, you are in my house, are you not? If you are in my house, then you must be one of the servants."

The boy looked hurt.

"Wouldn't you consider me to be… say, a family member?" he asked, "I can be your older brother. Call me oniichan!"

Mabel turned her head slightly, staring out the windows, the windows of which the curtains had finally been drawn, noticing the trace of the sun as it rose in the sky.

"I don't have family," she said finally, "So you can't be my older brother. But pray, tell me your name. and can you be anything less ghostly? I'll not have a poltergeist following me around like such."

The boy grinned, and floated to her bed, sitting down.

"Sure I have a name," he said, "My name is Jack, and it certainly is great becoming your acquaintance."


	3. First Meeting

Note: err… excuse me if the timeline isn't correct…? It's all sort of at random. I apologize~! _"

"So… Jack…" the name seemed to roll smoothly off her tongue, almost like it belonged with her, was made just for her to say, "What is it that you need help with, Jack?"

Jack grinned at her, a smiley sort of boy, and turned to face out the window.

"It's nothing major. Not on my part, anyways. I just want to help you achieve your ultimate goal." His voice was thoughtful, and didn't hold the sparkle it did when they first started speaking.

"My… ultimate goal? Well, that is about ME, isn't it? Why would you, a ghost, want to help me with MY goal? What do you gain from that?" she demanded, acting almost childish as she got up to stamp her feet on the carpeted floor.

"I can't tell you yet, my lady, but there are no tricks that I am up to, I promise. All I want is it aid you on your journey." The shimmery looking ghost materialized some, and stepped forward to wrap his arms around her, no longer ghostly. "I just want your happiness."

Mabel pulled away, not being used to being hugged by a stranger, much less, a ghostly stranger.

"Whatever," she said finally, stepping out the door, "I don't really care right now. There is something that we should be getting to, so I oughtn't stay in my room like so. Can you stay human? You can come with us."

Jack smiled at her, and followed behind closely.

"Whatever pleases you most, ojou-sama."

walking up to the carriage was almost terrifying. Sylvia was standing there, and if looks could kill, Mabel would have died five million times in that one minute.

"What took you so long?" Sylvia shrieked as soon as Mabel got close enough to be in hearing range, "Was it that boy? Jack! How dare you keep the young mistress from starting her journey on time? Do you think this day has endless hours? Look how high the sun's risen! Miss Mabel, please get in the carriage immediately! Don't you want to arrive when you said you would arrive? And Jack! Make yourself useful and drive the carriage!"

the two sprang into action, with Mabel clambering into the carriage while Jack too the position in front of it, and Sylvia bustled in afterwards, and with a quick neigh from the horses, they were hurrying off down the dirt road.

Once they had travelled perhaps ten or fifteen minutes in utter silence, Mabel finally said, quietly, "Sylvia… how do you know that his name is Jack?"

There was an old grandfather clock that once stood proudly in the hallway of the Phantomhive manor, not long ago. In fact, it was only recently removed – destroyed – by the servants of the house.

Ciel could almost hear the steady tick-tick-tick of the clock, and almost imagined the big minute hand moving, before he realized that it was no longer there.

He glanced out the window into the glaring light at the path that led up to the manor, and wrinkled his brow.

"She said she'd be here by four this afternoon," he said irritably to his ever faithful butler, Sebastian, who merely gave him a faint smile, "I don't care for people that can't bothered to be punctual."

"Surely she will be here soon, bocchan," Sebastian said, gently setting a tea cup down on Ciel's desk, "Children don't care to be on time."

Nearly an hour had passed before he heard the steady approach of a carriage, and glanced out the window see one coming along, before coming to a stop in front of the manor.

"Finally," he groaned, getting to his feet.

He had never wanted to host a little girl in his home in the first place, but at the girl's insistence, he decided to let her after all.

After having Sebastian go and invite the girl and her household in, Ciel sat by the window with the tea held in his hand, watching.

The carriage door opened, and the first one out was a brown-haired girl dressed in a pale blue dress and black overcoat, and she turned to grasp the thin hand of a young child that appeared next, who stepped down delicately, and raised her silver eyes up to the window where Ciel stood.

The girl lifted her hand and gave a few quick waves, her eyes sparkling and her blood ruby lips curved in a smile, but when Ciel gave no response, not even a wave nor a small smile, the girl lowered her hands and clasped it in front of her, turning to say something to the maid.

The driver of the carriage hopped down after the two girls, pulling along several large pieces of luggage, and they were approached by Sebastian, who led them into the house.

"Hello," he said as soon as the trio and Sebastian set foot into his studying room, "I am Ciel Phantomhive, your host. Pardon me for rudely asking, but why would you want to invite yourself to my manor?"

the little girl spoke up first.

"Well, nice to meet you too…" she said sarcastically, before removing the expression from her face and holding out her hand. "I am Mabel Rose Veseille. I just wanted to see what you looked like, and since you're a relative, wouldn't you be happy to see me?"

"No." was the quiet reply, "So many dark things happen in this manor. You're better off going back to where you came from."


	4. Daisy Chains

I don't own anything. And forgive me if anyone is OOC. And the second season in the anime never happened. (but I don't think this is relevant…)

the whole manor stood, silent and still and regal, almost dreary, despite a pleasant outer look.

Ciel had not been pleased with Mabel's introductions, but sent them off with a dismissive wave and announced that they could stay for as long as they liked, just so long that they don't outstay their welcome, and their mysterious black-clad butler lead the trio to their rooms.

Mabel had been granted a spacious room that resided just next to Ciel's, and as a guest, Sylvia had been given a slightly smaller room next to Mabel's, and Jack had disappeared before he could been assigned a room.

"Dinner is promptly at seven," Ciel had said at the doorway of Mabel's room, "Don't be late."

After the door closed, Mabel breathed a sigh of relief and flopped over onto the cushy bed, turning her head to face Sylvia.

"Wow," she giggled, "For a child, he certainly is mature."

Sylvia nodded from where she was, unpacking Mabel's clothing into the closets that had been provided, and answered softly, "the Earl Phantomhive has been by himself ever since his parents died in the fire that destroyed this manor."

Mabel bolted upright.

"This manor? Ciel has no parents?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise, "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Sylvia gave a faint smile, and gathered several hair ornaments into her hands, as she approached the child that sat incredulously upon the bed.

"Well, I'll tell you if you'd like… would you like to hear the Earl Phantomhive's story, ojou-sama?"

Mabel nodded, and beckoned for Sylvia to sit next to her, which she did.

"I personally don't know much of it," Sylvia said, "But as far as I know, a fire had destroyed this estate a few years ago, killing its inhabitants and leaving only Ciel-sama. Though, there is an interesting part to this… he has disappeared for a month after the fire, returning after with a butler clad all in black."

Sylvia glanced at the girl next to her, who gave her a faint grin.

"That's some story," she remarked, "Poor Ciel. I feel so bad for him. But come on, we should get ready for dinner. I get the feeling that he won't be too happy if we show up late."

…..

after showing the girl, Mabel, and her two servants, Sylvia and Jack, to their rooms, Ciel retreated to his own, followed closely by Sebastian.

"That girl is already starting to annoy me," he remarked sourly, "She talks too much."

Sebastian laughed.

"Bocchan, you think that everyone talks too much. But Mabel is only like that because she is still a child." He said.

Ciel sighed.

"I am a child as well, Sebastian. But you don't see me acting the way she does." He turned his midnight eyes up at his butler, before taking a sip from his neverending supply of tea.

"You have been through things that Mabel cannot even imagine, bocchan. It is only natural."

Ciel groaned and leaned his face into his hands, glancing out the frosty windows into the garden, where he could see Jack, the blond-haired, angelic-looking servant of Mabel's, sitting near the garden and weaving daisy chains.

He scoffed.

"Even her servants are so lighthearted and carefree," he said, half to himself, "In a way, I'm jealous of that."

Sebastian only stood near the shadows, never saying a word, while he bocchan continued to talk to himself, while staring half-heartedly out the window.

"Sebastian…"

Sebastian turned to see Ciel, who was still staring out the window with hazy eyes.

"Yes, bocchan?"

"If I asked you to go dance in the gardens and make daisy chains like Jack, would you?"

Sebastian chuckled.

"I would if that is an order, bocchan." He answered.

"It is."

"Well, if you put it that way…" Sebastian kneeled lightly onto the ground, placing his white gloved hand over his heart… or the place his heart would've been.

"Yes, my lord."

…

Sebastian trudged out into the gardens that he had put so much effort into, to make it beautiful. He was almost annoyed that his bocchan would try and order him to go and make daisy chains.

He approached the daisy patch knowing that he must, especially since his bocchan was still watching from the window, and kneeled into the grass, gathered several armfuls of daisies that he quickly picked, and settled into a stone bench to weave them together.

"Oh, are you making daisy chains too?"

Sebastian looked up into the brightly smiling face of Jack, his golden hair falling lazily over his eyes, and the boy sat down next to him, holding his own armful of daisies. Sebastian waited for him to talk.

"If you're making daisy chains for the Earl Phantomhive, I have a few left over from the ones I was making for ojou-sama, if you'd like to take them." He offered.

Sebastian turned his head, and began to weave the daisies together.

"Bocchan doesn't take _leftovers_," he said, "Don't disgrace the Earl like that."

The blond-haired beauty looked surprised, but lowered his eyes to the pink-stained daisies in his lap.

"of course…" he said softly, "I apologize. I should have never said what I did."

Sebastian turned in surprise. Never before had anyone ever taken what he said so lightheartedly.

No doubt, this boy must've been very protected, and never encountered any suffering, for his soul and heart to be in such a pure light.

Though petty humans didn't concern nor interest Sebastian, he found himself curious about this boy.

The two sat in silence for a short while, each minding their own business and making their own daisy chains, and finally, Sebastian stood up, wondering if he had satisfied his bocchan's desire daisies, and headed towards the house, stopping once at the door to look at the boy who had not yet moved from his seat.

"Dinner will be served in half an hour," he announced, "Try not to be late."


End file.
